Two Heart Beats, My Love
by KuroiWinter
Summary: They parted before the rain, and the pain was endless. Now, he's returning home from Tokyo, and she's alone on a new mission. A chance meeting at the subway station . . . will it give them what they always wanted?
1. Prologue: Forget

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters and settings that Tite Kubo created.

Author's Note: I decided only to write one little message for this story. The main thing to say is 'I hope you enjoy' which I do, and another thing is to explain about the dubious grammar in the title. _Two Heart Beats, My Love_ should, by some, be written as _Two Heartbeats, My Love_ or maybe _Two Hearts Beat, My Love_ . . . what I actually meant, was something that was a mix of both those alternate titles. It's 'heartbeats' but written as two words, so it's kind of like option two as well. Am I making sense? Probably not, and now you might be wondering why I bothered to say all that in the first place. Truth is, I'm not certain myself.  
>Anyhow, I hope you enjoy <em>Two Heat Beats, My Love <em>. . .

* * *

><p><em>Prologue: Forget<br>__~ Pain of Loss_

_There __were __tears __gathering __in __her __eyes __but __she __didn__'__t __look __back. __Couldn__'__t __stop __to __look __back. __If __she __did __. __. __. __she __might __lose __the __firmly __placed __resolve __that __kept __her __shoulders __straight __and __her __pace __steady __and __measured. __She __wouldn__'__t __run __away, __but __she __wouldn__'__t __turn __and __run __back __either. __She __told __herself __again __and __again __that __she __was __doing __the __right __thing. __And __it _was _the __right __thing, __not __just __because __she __wanted __it __to __be._

_As the first perfect tear slid down her pale cheek, creating a wet, glistening line on her skin, she closed violet eyes and the faintest smile touched her dry lips. She was doing the right thing. This way . . . everything would be alright. There wouldn't be suffering anymore, there wouldn't be the need to give up happiness. They could all go on living as they were always meant to. Shinigami . . . Hollows . . . maybe they could stop bothering themselves with such things now. They had lives to live, things to do before they died. And when they did, perhaps then that would be the right time for them to worry about those things again._

Stop saying 'them'. It's not them . . . there's only one person . . .

_She was still lying to herself. Trying to convince herself that all of them would be able to move away from that part of their lives. But that wasn't true . . . _

_Ishida Uryu would still, undoubtedly, fight the Hollows, as his Quincy Pride dictated. Inoue Orihime would continue to aid her friends when they were injured. Yasutora Sado, she refused to acknowledge the teenager's nickname, he too might continue to use his powers to fight. To protect._

Would _he_ still continue to fight?

_She could only hope that she'd been efficient enough in her not so smooth severing of all bonding ties. And she felt she'd done the best she could. Now, she had a future to move towards. She could focus on training, increasing her abilities and her strength. Like the probable others in her rank, she'd set her sights on a higher position, and fight towards that goal. Captain Ukitake had even offered her the chance to become his Lieutenant. There would be no time to doubt, no time to worry, no time to linger in the past . . . linger with the memories._

Goodbye everyone

_She stepped from the Senkaimon and into the icy night air of the Seireitei, black shihakusho fluttering from her form in the lively breeze. Below, she could see the faint light from the interiors of some buildings, but the majority was dark._

This is the way that fate has led us

_In a single leap, the petite shinigami began darting towards the barracks of the Thirteenth Division. The moisture in her eyes was blown away by the force of the wind created by her own movement, and her lips cracked. Violet gaze was clear and filled only with purpose._

The past shall fade away

_She walked past the Thirteenth Division quarters, remembering that she, as a noble, should be resting in the Kuchiki Family Manor, in her own private rooms. There was no hesitation in her stride. It was alright, she wasn't going to cry again, she was going to let go . . . Release the memories to the wintry wind. The memories . . . and the emotions._

Goodbye . . . Ichigo

_Entering her rooms, she knelt on the covered floorboards, gazing out of the still open screens and up into the midnight sky. She felt that she could do as she'd said she would, simply move onto a new chapter of her life . . . but as the realisation of her actions finally caught up with her, the most terrible agony she'd ever experienced ripped through her chest, a faint gasp slipping from her cold lips._

_Curling into herself, her wide, vacant eyes searched for the one person who'd be able to ease her torment. The person whom she trusted completely._

_But there was no one in the sparsely furnished room except herself._

_And the pain that came with that realisation almost broke her completely._

_But then she recalled why she'd done what she had._

_And, although her heart still ached in its brokenness, Kuchiki Rukia knew what she'd done had been right._

Please forget about me


	2. Chapter 1: Subway Station

_Chapter 1: Subway Station  
><em>_~ Memories_

Standing at the top of the stairs that led into the subway, Kurosaki Ichigo stared at the directions written on the scrap of paper in his hand. He knew it technically shouldn't be so hard for him to work out where to go, considering that, after a whole year away, he was going home, but somehow all the signs and stairs and escalators just confused him.

Living in Tokyo had been good for him, he thought, because it had helped to busy his mind with things that didn't make him feel almost suicidal, or just plain miserable. It had been his dad's idea, although he didn't know where the crazy fool had got it from, and so the Kurosaki family had waved goodbye to him as he boarded the train to Tokyo. Yuzu had been crying as happily as she could and she'd waved her white handkerchief at him from the platform. Karin had also been sad, but she'd never been one to express such sentimental emotions so she'd been alright. Or it had appeared that way. Isshin had made such a fuss that half the people getting off the train had asked him if he was alright and if something terrible had happened. Unfortunately, that made him scream and wail even more, so then they thought he was mad and called an ambulance.

Ichigo had just been glad that, just before the paramedics arrived, the train had pulled out of the station, and he'd been off. Away from Karakura Town and everything that came with it. Of course his friends had found out where his apartment was, and then they'd mailed him letters. Interestingly, although Inoue had called occasionally, most of the correspondence was by good old pen and paper. In one of his letters, Chad had said that Orihime had tried to email him, as she'd gotten his address from Karin, but then she'd blown up her computer, so they'd deleted her account and banned her from touching any sort of electronic device for a week.

Sighing as he recalled some of the other more 'interesting' things his friends had told him, Ichigo pulled himself together and descended the stairs, walking along the platform before finally turning and boarding the train.

* * *

><p>It turned out that there wasn't enough room for him to sit, but it didn't matter as he preferred standing anyway. So, consequently, Ichigo found himself holding onto one of the overhead handles and swaying in the motion of the train as it sped up and began the trip that would ultimately end up with him stepping off at the very end, and into Karakura Town once again.<p>

Strangely, the thought wasn't as painful as he'd thought it might be, and the realisation came along with a burst of nostalgia. He hadn't told his family which day he was coming back, although they knew it was sometime this week, or his friends either. Somehow, having a whole bunch of people waiting for him to step onto the platform wasn't the most appealing thought. Especially since Yuzu, Isshin and Inoue would probably start crying.

Ichigo wondered if his friends would've changed at all, in appearance, or personality. It was an odd notion, and he wondered then if _he__'__d _changed. After all, a year prior to the current day, before they'd decided he should go to the capital, he must've looked half deranged. Insomnia, anaemia, depression, slight cases of amnesia, and frequent illnesses had plagued him constantly, so it wouldn't have been a surprise if some of the people on the train had thought he was a complete delinquent. He thought then that his orange hair probably wouldn't have helped, nor the frown that was permanently on his face.

_I __was __supposed __to __get __a __haircut __before __I __went __back_, remembering, Ichigo sighed aloud, attracting a few looks for nearby passengers. He peered into the glass of the door before him, noting the healthy lustre of his brown eyes, and the slightly longer than usual strands of his bright orange hair. Luckily it wasn't as long as it had been when he'd faced Aizen in that final-

'Urgh,' fingers clenching on his head, the young man slid down to crouch on the ground, trying desperately to block the thoughts from his head.

But, once started, the flow was impossible to stop.

Images flew through his mind, almost faster than he could comprehend, but not fast enough that he couldn't see what they were.

_Shrieker_

_Black shihakusho_

_Grand Fisher_

_Mother_

_Red glove_

_Juice box_

_Don Kanonji_

_Bakudo 1: Sai_

_Kon_

_Fight_

_Soul Society_

_Rescue_

_Arrancar_

_Oken_

_Smile_

_Aizen_

_Hueco Mundo_

_Espada_

_Protect_

_Hollow_

_Zangetsu_

_Goodbye . . ._

Luckily for Ichigo, the train lurched suddenly, and he hit his head on the metal bar beside him. The pain, strangely enough, was sufficient in breaking off his thought process, at least for the time being. He rubbed his face, not wanting his friends and family to think that leaving for a while hadn't done anything for him. In truth, it had been the best possible idea, and he was thankful, although he'd never say it aloud, that his dad had thought of it. The memories had faded, just a little, just enough to make life bearable, and now he could look at a picture of a rabbit without breaking down, or see his Substitute Shinigami Badge beeping without recalling the one person who'd always been there with him . . .

_I __can __hardly __believe __I__'__m __going __to __be __back __home __soon, _he hoped none of his family members had done anything odd to his room, _There__'__s __way __more __Hollows __in __Karakura __than __Tokyo __. __. __. __I __wonder __if __I__'__ll __actually __have __to __do __some __work __again, _sighing, he changed his line of thought, _Since __we__'__d __all __have __only __just __finished __school __a __couple __of __days __ago, _he referred to himself and his friends as 'we', _I __bet __everyone __has __lots __of __things __they __want __to __do __on __their __holidays._

He couldn't believe that they'd all be leaving school soon, and not just for holidays. It was both an exciting, and nerve racking thought. After all, he'd never considered what he wanted to do after he left school. At the times when normal people would've been considering it, he'd been . . . busy.

Sighing and not rising from his crouch, Ichigo closed his eyes and waited for the train trip to come to an end.

* * *

><p>Standing up as the train pulled into the station, Ichigo got ready to disembark. He felt a slight pain on the side of his head where he'd hit the bar, but it didn't really matter. As the doors slid open and people surged out in a mass of different coloured clothing, he waited a bit longer until almost everyone who wanted to get off, had gotten off, and then he stepped from the inside of the train. As his shoe met the solid platform, he realised that he really <em>was <em>home.

Looking up, brown eyes saw that the only thing between him and the outdoors of Karakura Town, was a set of stairs which would lead up to ground level. He took a step forwards, and then someone appeared at the top of the stairs, half concealed by the mass of people.

_Kuchiki Rukia._


	3. Chapter 2: Love's Remains

_Chapter 2: Love's Remains  
><em>_~ I Remember You_

Kuchiki Rukia stood on the footpath outside of Urahara Shoten, having just left the store. It had been a year since she'd been there, and not just the store. It had been a full year since she'd set foot in Karakura Town. The violet eyed shinigami stretched slightly, finding that the gigai fit perfectly, and she wondered if Urahara had taken special time to adjust it for her. It was an odd thought.

Still, she didn't have time to ponder the shopkeeper's motives. She was, after all, on a direct mission from Captain Ukitake, and she wasn't planning to fail. In the time since she'd last left Karakura, she'd been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, much to the two Third Seats' shock, and she'd come to be rather well known and respected. Even her brother, Captain of the Sixth Division, Kuchiki Byakuya, had congratulated her in his own, stoic way.

Anyhow, there was a place she needed to get to, just a short way from Karakura, and she already had her desired route mapped out. Looking around at the still familiar landscape of the town, she was honestly surprised when her chest didn't ache and her thoughts didn't wander. She was very glad for that, and she could only hope she wouldn't run into anyone she'd known on the way.

As Rukia began to walk along the path, she recalled the feelings she'd experienced when leaving Karakura, and how she'd cried. Now? She thought she'd healed her wounds and begun to walk another road of fate, no longer the same one as the one that her former friends traversed. It was healthy, she thought, that she could focus on doing what she needed to, rather than get distracted by the past. More poetically, she could pursue the future while leaving her tears behind.

_Although __I __do __wonder __how __everyone__'__s __going_, even thinking that didn't cause her pain, _They __must __almost __be __finished __their __final __year __at __school._

Sighing in a sentimental way, she quickened her pace slightly, realising she'd be late if she didn't hurry up. It was a good thing Urahara had given her a watch, or else she'd really have blown the whole mission.

_I __have __to __get __to __the __station, _looking about, Rukia smiled suddenly, _Oh, __I __can __remember __where __it __is __now_, she began running, her long, dark blue jacket fluttering out behind her, _I__'__m __glad __I __decided __to __wear __pants, __not __that __running __in __skirts __bothers __me, _she glanced down at her attire, noting the dark jeans, colourful sneakers, and white blouse that she was wearing once again, _And __running __shoes __too._

Increasing her speed yet again, she could briefly hoped no one was watching, because she was pushing the barriers of how fast a normal person should be able to move, _If __I __miss __that __train-_

Rukia shook her head. She knew she shouldn't worry so much, it was uncharacteristic of her, and she was probably only slightly anxious due to where she was.

_You're not connected to anything here now. Nothing here matters except the protection of human souls and the extermination of Hollows. Those memories mean nothing anymore._

* * *

><p>As Rukia reached the building that led down to the station, she paused a moment, took a long breath, and then, hearing the train pulling in, she decided to wait at the top of the stairs, ignoring the fact that she'd have to battle her way through the mass of people which she expected to be coming up.<p>

As the stream of people walked out of the train below, she was met with a wave of different reiatsu, all pulsing and shimmering. Sighing, and wondering why Karakura Town always seemed to attract people with strong reiatsu, she stepped forwards, ready to descend the stairs . . . and then her eyes fell on a single figure just stepping off the train, easily visible because of his brightly coloured hair.

He looked up, and she paused, the breath slowly passing from her lips.

_Kurosaki Ichigo_

* * *

><p>Ichigo was frozen. He couldn't move, his lungs weren't working properly, his head was spinning, and not just because he'd hit it on a metal bar.<p>

Was it really her? Really Kuchiki Rukia?

She looked the same as he remembered. Petite, but with an unforgettable presence, raven black hair, with that single strand hanging between her eyes, which were indigo violet, so deep and captivating, pale skin, lightly flushed as if she'd been running . . . to him, she was the image of perfection, even after a year of not seeing her. No, _especially _a year after not seeing her.

But how could this be happening? Why was she back when she'd sworn she was leaving forever? Her reiatsu seemed limited in a familiar way . . . had she become a Lieutenant? What was going on? Was he hallucinating? Had he seriously lost it?

Something deep inside his chest told him that no, he wasn't mad, and the young woman standing at the top of the stairs was certainly not an illusion. There were other people coming down the stairs now, intent on catching their trains, but he could hardly even see them, let alone sense them. All his attention was on that single figure, just standing there as if she too was surprised. But why would she care? After everything she'd said . . .

But it didn't matter. He didn't care what she'd said, or what she might've meant by those words. The only thing he could feel was the rapid beating of his heart, and, in that moment, he realised he still loved her more than anything else in the world.

* * *

><p>At the top of the stairs, Rukia was wondering whether or not she'd been born under an unlucky star. But then again, if she really didn't care, she couldn't count this as unlucky. So she considered it as a simple coincidence instead. If she remembered correctly, the train still waiting at the station had come from Tokyo, and she wondered what Kurosaki Ichigo had been doing there.<p>

Ichigo looked taller, maybe just a bit, and he still looked the same, feature wise. The only other difference she could really see was that his orange hair was longer.

As she stared, noting that he was doing the same thing, she realised something that almost made her turn and run, as fast as she could, as far away as she could go.

The words she'd said to him before she'd left . . . they were meaningless.

She still . . . loved Kurosaki Ichigo.


	4. Chapter 3: A Year to Present

_Chapter 3: A Year to Present  
><em>_~ Rain Wash Away Our Bonds_

A Week before the Present, Last Year:

Ichigo and Rukia walked through the streets of Karakura Town, making their way home after a day at Orihime's. Rukia was laughing and teasing the orange haired teenager, and twirling around in front of him as they walked, balancing by holding his hand over her head. They'd had a good time with their friends, and even Uryu had turned up, but it was nice to have some more peaceful conversations, just between the pair of them.

'Stop doing that,' as she darted forwards again, nearly wrenching his arm from its socket, Ichigo complained, 'I'd rather keep both my arms in working condition,'

'Why?' not really listening, Rukia shot to one side, once again dragging Ichigo along with her, and jumped up onto a low wall. As she began walking along it instead, now almost as tall as he was, Ichigo just sighed, trying not to . . . he gave up.

'Rukia,' pulling her up short, he picked her up by grasping hold of her waist, and carried her under his arm, preventing any more spontaneous movement on her part, 'Now just stay still or I'll drop-,' at that moment, she poked him hard in the side and he let her go, 'You,'

'You're so unimaginative,' having landed in a crouch, Rukia sighed mockingly, 'If you wanted me to stay still then you could've tried something more creative. If it was Orihime, she'd have invented some type of advanced space robot to make me miniature and put me in a glass jar,'

'Well I'm glad I'm not Inoue then,' Ichigo stopped walking, prompting her to do the same.

'Why?' Rukia couldn't see what the problem was, and she wondered why he'd stopped, considering that they'd be late for dinner if they didn't hurry. Yuzu might get upset . . . again.

'Because if you were in a jar, then I couldn't do this,' and with that, Ichigo reached out and flicked her forehead, 'Without breaking your neck,'

Rukia was enraged, 'Idiot!' she stormed over, 'You're not supposed to flick your girlfriend, you're supposed to kiss her,' then she paused, tilting her head to one side and deeply considering something, 'Or so I've read,'

'So you read romance as well as horror?' Ichigo was sceptical, and amused at the same time, 'You're so wei-,'

'Shut it,' nothing he said was exactly calming her down. Rukia found herself wondering if she should seriously actually do more than just take care of Hollows and perform Konso. After all, she was part of the Gotei 13, and consequently, she had duties. It was only by chance that Captain Ukitake had assigned her a month long mission on which she really wasn't required to do anything but the basics. She sometimes wondered if she should try to become the Thirteenth Division's Lieutenant, and try to take on some of the work that had once been Kaien's. Kiyone and Sentaro did their best, she twitched slightly just thinking about them, but sometimes they were more concerned about who was more devoted to Captain Ukitake, than doing the paperwork. Maybe she should go back. It was only just over a week until she was officially supposed to anyway. Ichigo could handle being without her for a while, couldn't he?

'Are you alright?' seeing as she'd gone off in a daze and almost walking right onto the road, Ichigo pulled her up short and stared hard at her face, 'Rukia?'

'Huh?' blinking and coming back to reality, the petite shinigami suddenly had the strong urge to ask Ichigo a question, one that she really, honestly wanted a truthful answer for, 'Ichigo,' something in her tone made him stop fussing and just listen.

'Yeah?'

'What would you do without me?' she looked at the pavement when she spoke, not wanting to meet his gaze, just in case the emotions she saw there frightened her.

'Without you?' Ichigo was shocked, and everything suddenly became very serious, 'Rukia? Why would you ask that?'

'Just,' her voice cracked slightly, 'Just answer . . . please,'

Ichigo touched her cheek gently, 'I shouldn't even have to answer such a stupid question, but here's the thing, Rukia,' he bent down slightly, 'I wouldn't be able to do anything without you, because you're everything that makes me smile,' he kissed her lightly, 'You're my life Rukia,'

As she pulled back and began towing him away, shouting that they'd be late for dinner, Rukia couldn't help the dark thought that marred the touched feeling her heart was experiencing.

_But I may well be your death, Ichigo._

* * *

><p>Six Days before the Present, Last Year:<p>

When Ichigo woke up, Rukia was nowhere to be found. He was worried she'd run off again, but then he sensed her reiatsu on the roof of the Kurosaki House. Sighing, he separated from his body so that getting to where she was would be easier, and then he leapt out of his window. Seeing where she was sitting, right at the highest point, he used a shunpo to take himself to her side.

'Rukia?' she looked up, her expression blank as if she hadn't even sensed his approach, 'Once again, I'm going to have to ask if you're okay,' he sat down beside her, 'So, are you okay?'

'I'm fine Ichigo,' there was a sharp note in her voice which was unusual, especially lately, since they'd gotten a lot closer, 'I just . . . need a moment to think,'

'I'm guessing you mean alone,' standing up again, Ichigo sighed deeply, wondering what was on her mind now and wishing he could do something to help.

'Preferably,' although she knew she was hurting him, Rukia was torn between whether or not she should tell him the truth, 'I'm sorry,'

'That's alright,' jumping from the edge of the roof, Ichigo went back to his room, and back to sleep.

Still seated exactly where she'd been while the orange haired substitute shinigami had been beside her, Rukia put her head in her hands, 'No, you don't get it, Ichigo. I'm really, truly sorry,'

The jigokucho that had vanished just before Ichigo had arrived, fluttered back over, waiting to take her reply back to the Soul Society. Not yet fully comprehending what had happened, but knowing the pain it could cause, both to her, and to the teenager sleeping below, she wanted to hear the message again. Extending a delicate hand, she let the black butterfly rest on her finger.

_Kuchiki Rukia, this is a message from Thirteenth Division Captain Ukitake Jushiro:_

_Hello! I was wondering if you're going to come back soon. Today I talked your brother into allowing you to try out to become my Lieutenant. Would you like to? I hope you say yes, I'm really excited. This is a major breakthrough with Byakuya . . . oh, oh, oh, oh no, oh my, oh dear! I wasn't supposed to say that the reason you didn't qualify to become a Seated Officer the first time was because of your brother's influence! Oh dear! I think I just made it worse. Should I re-do this message. No, I haven't any time. Oh dear, Byakuya will be so angry. Well, ah, be sure to thank him! _

_Anyway, if you want to, you need to come back at the end of this week to begin an intensive one month training session which is designed to bring you on par with the other Lieutenants. Then you've just got to accept the position in front of the other captains and it's all done._

_By the way, Kuchiki, I'm sorry to say this to you, but for the first month after you become a Lieutenant, you won't be able to leave the Soul Society. I know you're friends mean a lot to you, so if this means you won't take the position, then, although I'll be disappointed, I'll understand._

The message was interrupted by harsh, slightly wet sounding coughing.

_Sorry, I'll have to finish up there, Kiyone and Sentaro say I should go lie down. Perhaps I'll see you at the end of the week, or maybe when your assignment is properly finished. Goodby-_

Halfway through the last word, there was a thump sound as if someone had just fainted.

Rukia was worried for her captain's health, just like everyone in the Thirteenth Division, and she knew that, when Kaien had been the Lieutenant, a lot of work had been managed by him. And if she tried out and got in, that work would become hers. It would mean she'd hardly ever get out to come to Karakura Town. Even Renji could only do it occasionally, and that was because her Nii-sama was so efficient he didn't pass very much work onto his Lieutenant. Ukitake, being sickly, was hardly able to do any of the paperwork.

Taking a deep breath, Rukia looked directly at the jigokucho, and began to speak, knowing that it would take her message back to the Soul Society immediately.

'I'm coming back,'

* * *

><p>Two Days before the Present, Last Year:<p>

Ichigo could sense it. There was something very wrong with Rukia, but he couldn't work out what. All day she'd been jumpy and the moment he took his eyes off her, she'd either wandered off, or was staring vacantly into space. And neither one was preferable, in his opinion.

'Rukia,' snapping his fingers before her face as she stared at what looked to be a bit of dirt on the wall, he attempted to bring her back to reality for about the four hundredth time that day, 'Are you still alive?'

'Stop it!' she said it as if he were the vexing and annoying one, 'Can't you see I'm-,' she cut herself off, then she sighed and said, 'Look, I'm sorry, I'm just kind of . . . preoccupied,'

'I can see that,' scowling slightly, Ichigo sat down at the table opposite her, 'Rukia, what's wrong? It's obvious something's on your mind, actually, that's an understatement, but,' he banged his hand on the table, 'You should tell someone about it,'

_I __wish __I __could_, the thoughts filtered through the haze in her mind, just barely, _I __wish __I __could __tell __you __everything, __and __I __wish __I __could __tell __you __my __decision. __But __I __can__'__t __. __. __. __because __you__'__d __try __to __stop __me __from __going. __You__'__d __think __this __was __something __that __could __be __avoided, _she closed her eyes briefly, _But __it__'__s __not. __I __can__'__t __put __my __own __happiness __before __my __duties. __Captain __Ukitake __has __asked __me __to __be __his __Lieutenant, __and __it __is __a __position __that, __if __we __didn__'__t __have __the __relationship __that __we __do, __I __would__'__ve __accepted __without __question. __So __I__'__m __sorry, __but __I __won__'__t __tell __you, __because __I _must _go._

'There's absolutely nothing on my mind, stop being paranoid,' she was snapping, once again unusually harsh on the teenager.

'I'm just worrying like I should,' not at all concerned about her tone, Ichigo just spoke normally, 'Calm down and stop being so defensive, I already know something's bothering you,'

'Ichigo,' she stood up abruptly and walked over to the door, pulling on her bright cardigan, 'I'm going over to Urahara's to buy some supplies, would you take this to Orihime?'

Tossing him a package, one which contained nothing but some of Yuzu's cookies, Rukia hurried out of the house. Ichigo sighed once again, before getting up and preparing to go to Inoue's. He could feel what was inside the bag, and he knew Yuzu had baked that morning, but he couldn't work out why Rukia would go to so much trouble to get him to deliver them.

_She doesn't want you around . . ._

The thought entered his head, and immediately, Ichigo forced himself to dismiss it. This wasn't the time to be doubting Rukia, he was supposed to be trying to work out how to support her better, and help her deal with her problems.

* * *

><p>The Day of the Present, Last Year:<p>

Rukia sat nervously in Ichigo's cupboard, working out an excuse that would remove her smoothly from the house and give her the opportunity to open a Senkaimon and return to the Soul Society. It was lucky that the rest of the Kurosaki Family were in the Clinic, or else she'd have had more people to deal with.

She hadn't said goodbye to any of her friends. Orihime would've cried and possibly given her such a sad look that she would've immediately regretted her decision. Uryu and Chad probably would've been alright, seeing as the former wasn't supposed to like shinigami, and the latter rarely showed any emotion. Of course, the other students at Karakura High School wouldn't have really known what she was on about. And . . . Ichigo.

Well, she certainly couldn't tell him.

Opening the cupboard and jumping out, Rukia took the moment to stare through the window and into the cloudy morning sky. It looked like it was about to rain, and she pitied Ichigo, since he didn't like the rain.

'Hey you,' tapping her fingers on his forehead, she waited until he woke up. Since it was a weekend, he had, apparently, decided to sleep in.

'Yeah?' wondering what Rukia was doing up and about so early, Ichigo sat up slowly, 'What's the problem?'

'Nothing's the problem,' Rukia walked right over his bed and opened the window, 'I'm just going out for a bit, don't worry so much, idiot,'

'Oh,' as she jumped down, landing lightly on the grass, she was so glad he hadn't tried to stop her.

Hurrying onwards, Rukia reached the desired street, and turned into it, walking until she saw the small apartment block. That was where she'd been told to open the Senkaimon, from Urahara, who'd heard about everything from Ukitake. This way, if she left the World of the Living from inside that building, no one would know she was gone for a good half hour. It had been used multiple times by shinigami who passed through to the Human World, although most of them just saved themselves the bother of finding the little place and opened the gates wherever they were.

Walking up the steps, she unlocked it with the key that Urahara had received from the Soul Society, and entered quickly. As the Senkaimon slid open before her, she suddenly sensed an all too familiar presence outside the door.

Whirling around, violet eyes widened as Ichigo half smashed open the door, 'What are you doing?' they spoke at the same time.

'Rukia! I didn't think Urahara was serious when he said you were going to sneak off! Urgh, I can't believe I had to spy on my own girlfriend,' he sounded disgusted, as well as furious, 'What were you planning to do here?'

'What does it look like?' her tone was icy cold, and one pale hand came to rest on the hilt of her zanpakuto, 'I'm leaving, you idiot,'

'Why?' it sounded like he was already in pain, and she hadn't even really done anything.

'Because I have duties, and people like you don't compare in importance to them,' the words just started flowing from her mouth, delivered in a sharp, cutting tone, 'I'm going back to the Soul Society whether you like it or not. Ichigo, you couldn't have possibly thought you were as important as duty? Hasn't knowing my Nii-sama taught you anything about the Kuchiki family?' she smirked at him cruelly, 'We have our pride firmly fixed in duty, principle . . . the law,' she watched his eyes widen slightly, 'And my duty calls me back to my post in the Thirteenth Division. My principles will not let me be a fool and remain here. The law . . . it frowns upon such insolent people,'

'W-what is this Rukia?' Ichigo sounded shattered, completely lost and hopelessly confused, 'You can't really mean all that. You can't forget that you told me you loved me,'

'Can't I?' the superior tilt to her tone, as well as the hardening of her gaze, made the likeness between her and her brother suddenly apparent. It was obvious that such things weren't always shared in blood.

'Are you saying that that was a lie?' he was losing his anger to something far worse. Despair.

'_I__'__m _not saying anything, you are,' Rukia's hand clenched on Sode no Shirayuki's hilt, 'If you do not leave, then I will cut you down before I depart, trash,'

'Y-you can't beat me,' Ichigo turned to facts, rather than the painful wonderings in his head.

'Did you think to bring you Badge? Or even Kon?' she laughed harshly as she realised she'd guessed correctly. Of course he hadn't . . . he hadn't thought he'd need to.

'You're not serious,' once again, Ichigo clung to the faint, unrealistic hope that this was all just some twisted joke, or even a nightmare.

'What are you going to do? Attack me with your bare hands?' Rukia slid her katana from its sheath, 'I think it would be wise of you to step down. I do not like to dirty my blade with the blood of the pathetic . . . ' she didn't want to add what was on the tip of her tongue, but he still didn't look like he'd completely given up, 'And, as you might know, hatred only attempts to hinder justice, so I shouldn't kill you anyhow,'

'You _hate _me?' he wasn't waking up, no matter how many times he pinched himself, 'No, Rukia, you know that's not true,'

'But do you?' some part of her actually wanted to know, but she couldn't wait. They would be expecting her back so, so soon, 'Bakudo 61,' she put all of her power into harnessing the kido, despite knowing that she should have used the incantation, 'Rikujōkōrō,'

As the six beams of yellow light speared his body and he fell to his knees, Ichigo couldn't stop the absolute agony he was feeling from turning itself into verbal words, 'Rukia!' she turned, sheather her zanpakuto, and began to walk towards the Senkaimon, jigokucho flying innocently by her side, 'Rukia!'

'Goodbye Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm leaving to start a new chapter in my life, and if you're wise, you'll do the same. I can't put my hapiness over my duty. Just forget me, you fool,' there was something more _real _in her tone, the slightest of catches that suggested she was trying not to cry. But Ichigo didn't notice that, too overcome by his despair and grief that he couldn't hear anything but the stuttering beat of his heart, and the sounds her gigai made as it hit the ground, losing any resemblance of her at all.

'What about _our _hapiness? RUKIA!' his scream, so honest and raw, echoed through the empty apartment room as the Senkaimon slid shut and vanished, the shinigami passing through it not once looking back, 'I-,' his voice broke and, although the kido around him disintegrated almost as soon as the caster had vanished, he didn't rise, 'I love you,'

Outside, the skies opened up and it began to pour down with rain. There was no real goodbye . . . the tears they cried were empty . . . and the ache in their hearts was endless.


	5. Chapter 4: Two Heart Beats, My Love

_Chapter 4: Two Heart Beats, My Love  
><em>_~ The Final Goodbye_

The pair stared at each other, the same memories passing through their gazes, as everyday people living their everyday lives, moved around them. Rukia finally closed her violet eyes, and stepped down once with slow, effortless grace and absolute stately pride. She really was . . . quite like her brother.

Ichigo began to walk forwards too, not bothering to wonder why the shinigami was at the train station, and he realised that her dress style had changed. Somehow that seemed just as significant as anything else, like she really had begun a new chapter of her life. It hurt, and he almost wished she'd appeared wearing one of his sister's dresses instead.

The train started to make the standard noises which told people who were late and that they better hurry or they'd miss their ride, and Rukia slowly quickened her pace. She still wasn't going to miss that train, even if she had to use shunpo to get onto it. Having Ichigo standing between her and the open doors . . . it wasn't a problem. So what if she still loved him? Even if he still loved her, there was no going back to the effortless way things had been.

_Kurosaki Ichigo . . . I've missed you so, so much. I still think about you, I still wish I was by your side. No matter what we were doing, fighting Hollows, fighting each other . . . I will always know you are by my side. I always knew that. Now though, I have to let it go, let those thoughts go properly. You've begun a new chapter in your life too . . ._

_How was Tokyo? I want to ask you so much. I wish we had eternity to share our stories. There are things I want to tell you too. I want to say how Renji made a fool of himself in front of all the captains, I want to say how Captain Soifon really did have a black cat collection. I want to say that I love you, and that I never, ever hated you. I want you to hold me, and say it'll be alright. I want the times where I cry all night to stop. I . . . I want to know what would've happened if I'd stayed. But you've moved on . . . and so have I. I think that maybe we're not on the same page in life's book any more. I . . . I'm sorry. I couldn't forget you._

Stopping as his foot touched the first stair, Ichigo fought the urge to either scream, cry, or run up and hug the petite and regal young woman who ever so slowly got closer to him. All of the memories that he'd tried to lock away were free. He could recall every single second they'd spent together in crystal detail. Despite the bustle of people pushing behind him, his pace didn't increase, and his thoughts never wandered from her.

_Kuchiki Rukia . . . I want to know why you're here. I want to shake you and ask why you left that time last year. You can't possibly know the depth of my pain, the suffering I felt whenever I thought about you. I think you'd probably hit me if I told you this, but . . . you even appeared in my dreams. My family . . . they miss you too, and I don't think even Yuzu believes the story I made up about your disappearance. _

_You look different. Is it because I haven't seen you in a while, or because you've just gotten more mature? When you were always with me, I don't think I noticed all of the subtle things I notice now. I wonder if you guessed I've been in Tokyo . . . you caused that too, if you're wondering. So much has happened in the year since you left . . . why couldn't you have stayed? I always ask myself what would've happened if I'd somehow stopped you from going. You said to move on, but I stayed and waited for you. But the past can be a dark place . . . and I wished constantly that you were there to drag me back into the present.  
><em>_I love you, Rukia . . . even now, after every sleepless night, every bout of amnesia . . . nothing you've ever done has escaped from my mind. I could never forget you, no matter what you said. I . . . I do love you._

The train made another sound which clearly said it was leaving in a few minutes, no matter what, and Ichigo looked up. He wanted to wave and smile, to cast aside his scowl, but somehow, seeing her carefully blank expression, although he knew she was thinking of him, just like he was thinking of her, he found he was unable to.

Ichigo put his foot on the stair properly, beginning to walk up, carefully stepping out of the way of people coming down, who were doing the same of the mass of people still moving up. He looked up once again, and he met Rukia's steady gaze. They were only a few paces from each other, but they didn't stop walking.

As the pair passed, their shoulders brushed and, just for a moment, time seemed to slow into agonising detail, both of them turning their heads ever so slightly to gaze into the other's eyes. And then the crowd surged again, and the moment was gone, swept away in the bustle of movement around them.

Ichigo stood at the top of the stairs, listening to his heartbeat, looking out at Karakura Town, eyes tracing familiar landmarks, as he tried not to turn and look back.

Rukia stood before the doors of the train, one hand extended to grasp hold of the edge of the sliding panel, and she could feel the dull ache pulsing from her chest, hear how the uneven beats accented her decision.

_Time has passed, a year has flown away_

The contact they'd just experienced had shaken both of them badly. Each wanted the other to comfort them, no matter what way that aid was given. They wanted that closeness that meant the world. The pain of separation had never been so great, even now that they were a year older, and only a short distance from each other.

_Do you still love me? Because you still hold my heart, my soul_

Did they still have that right? That intimate right which had enabled them to share anything with the other? The same right which would now allow them to turn and run back into each other's arms?

No. There was no way they could say they still needed each other, still missed each other, still loved each other. They couldn't exchange a single word. All bonds between them had long been broken, and they thought they'd come to accept that.

Only their backs faced each other, but both Ichigo and Rukia heard what the other was saying, although neither one of them moved their mouths.

_There is still that love I feel in my heart, and still that urge to hold you in my arms. But I look at you, and I see someone who is at a different page, a different chapter . . . maybe, if I look close enough, you've even moved onto a different book. So let's try to forget the pain . . . as we failed to do before, because now . . . I think we're ready. Moving on and facing a new day, a new story, it can be frightening . . . but it won't be so hard. _

_I still feel your presence by my side, and I can hear your heartbeat . . . if I never meet you again, although the seasons may pass, and the years fly away . . . I will love you. Just until you can truly move on, and learn to love again, I will remain in your heart, but not in your mind. We won't cross paths again, the final lines of our story have been read._

Ichigo moved away from the station, walking from the darkness into the bright midday sunlight. He felt lighter, somehow. And, although he still wanted to turn and run down those stairs, he kept walking forwards, back into Karakura Town. He was ready to face everything now, because in his heart, she was still there, just for a while longer . . . as he was in hers.

_This __meeting __today __. __. __. _this _is __our __farewell. What we were denied this time last year . . . a proper way to say goodbye._

Stepping onto the train and moving to one side of the still open doors, Rukia once again closed her violet eyes. As she'd decided, exactly a year ago, although her decision had caused them both so much pain . . . it had been right. Now, Ichigo could live his life as he wished to. And if he fought Hollows, he fought Hollows, but he could always make his own decisions. There was no shouting, no anger, no accusing and broken eyes. What had happened in the past, was the past. _This_ was their goodbye. _This _was what they'd both been waiting for. Now . . . they could cry properly, regret properly . . . but they would know that they both understood each other, just one last time. It was all she'd dreamt of, all she'd wanted. One last moment of understanding . . .

_Thank you. Thank you. Thank you._

The doors of the train snapped shut. Two hearts beat different rhythms. The world continued to revolve. The train moved away from the station. Single tears slid from clear, bright eyes. The possibilities the future held seemed endless.

_Goodbye, my love _


End file.
